El Montgó is a 753-metre-high massif located in La Marina Alta that rises above the adjoining plains of Ondara-Dénia and Xàbia-Gata de Gorgos. It belongs to the last unit of the Baetic mountain range and is truncated by two faults, the Dénia fault in the north and the Xàbia fault in the south.

It was declared a natural park by the Generalitat Valenciana on the 16th of March, 1978, and in November of 2002 the protected area was extended to a total of 7,503.99 hectares.

Its dry and rough appearance presents a variety of ecosystems that house hundreds of species.

Due to its geographical location, El Montgó has been an important point of historical interest, used as a home, defensive watchtower, and a place for hunting, gathering and cultivation, by ancient civilizations from the Upper Paleolithic to the Bronze Age, passing also through the settlements of the Iberians populations, the Muslim era and the subsequent Christian conquest.

As for the climate, the crypto-precipitations of the summit should be highlighted.

The presence of more than 650 different species of flora in the park contributed greatly to it being declared a protected area. On the cliffs of the northern side, one can enjoy the so-called herba de la ferradura (Hippocrepis Valentina) and the field scabious; on the cliffs of the southern side there are species adapted to the low humidity and high temperatures; and on the cliffs of Sant Antoni, there are species adapted to living in crevices, ledges and with high salinity percentages such as silene from Ifac, large-fruited juniper and alfalfa arborea. On the slopes, one can come across honeysuckle, common smilax, laurustinus and ash, together with repopulations of Aleppo pine, olive trees, almond trees, fig trees and vines.

The marine reserve of Cap de Sant Antoni is located within the natural park of El Montgó.
El Montgó is one of the best bird-watching spots of the region. It is a perfect place to observe seabirds during migration periods, such as the peregrine falcon and the Audouin’s gull. The south face of El Montgó is ideal for seeing owls and species of gastropods and insects, and the plains are a place to see the birds of prey that live on the cliffs, such as the falcon and the common kestrel.

With regards to mammals, the ones that are worthy of note are the badger, the wild boar, the fox and the common genet —all depending on the abundance of rabbits and rodents—, as well as the bats, which help maintain the ecosystem by consuming large amounts of insects. Reptiles abound, such as the large psammodromus, the ocellated lizard, the green snake and the Bedriaga’s skink.